Best Western® Hotels & Resorts was recently selected to host a major event designed to showcase the natural beauty and authentic culture of Thailand’s exquisite eastern provinces, and to promote the region as a tourism destination.

Organized by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the “More Fun @ The East” event was held on April 24-25, 2019, at Tawaravadee Resort, BW Signature Collection by Best Western, the group’s exceptional new resort in Prachinburi province. The industry-leading event gathered approximately 300 travel trade delegates for a series of face-to-face buyer-seller meetings.

The event was attended by Piboon Hattakitkosol, Governor of Prachinburi, along with TAT executives including Wiboon Nimitrwanich, Executive Director for the Eastern Region; Auttaphol Wannakij, Deputy Executive Director for the Eastern Region; Sophon Tontayatai, Director of the Eastern Market Division; and Sakol Thongkam, Director of the Nakhon Nayok Office (Nakhon Nayok, Prachinburi and Sa Kaeo provinces).

“We are delighted to welcome the TAT’s senior executives, VIPs and our esteemed travel trade partners to Tawaravadee Resort, BW Signature Collection by Best Western for this important regional tourism expo,” said Matthew Horvat, the resort’s General Manager. “Thailand’s eastern provinces, including Prachinburi, hold incredible potential for domestic and international tourism. Our natural beauty, captivating culture and exciting activities are just waiting to be discovered. Resorts like ours are also now proving that the region has the ability to host world-class events and vacations,”

Tawaravadee Resort, BW Signature Collection by Best Western is the perfect venue for out-of-town meetings and conferences, with extensive function space including an 800-guest convention hall and several other meeting rooms that can cater up to 200 delegates. The “More Fun @ The East” event occupied two of the resort’s meeting rooms, while the convention hall was used for a glittering gala dinner on the final evening.

Prachinburi is one of the “secondary destinations” being actively promoted by the TAT, as it works to spread the benefits of tourism to more parts of Thailand. In October 2018, the TAT launched a new campaign inviting tourists to “Visit a Secondary City: Must Try, Must Love and Must Care.” This focuses on promoting low-carbon, eco-friendly tourism in the kingdom’s less-visited destinations.

While it is only 160km from Bangkok and Suvarnabhumi Airport, Prachinburi province shares a border with Cambodia. The province also contains parts of three national parks – Khao Yai, Thap Lan and Pang Sida – which together cover more than 3,000 square kilometers, the largest area of protected land in Thailand. This creates outstanding opportunities for outdoor adventure and cultural exploration.

Nestled in Prachinburi’s verdant countryside, Tawaravadee Resort, BW Signature Collection by Best Western is an idyllic low-rise rural retreat that exudes tropical elegance. Accommodation includes 199 rooms and suites with garden and lake views. Guests can cool off in the tropical outdoor pool, be pampered in the spa, or enjoy a wide range of activities including tennis, badminton, cycling, snooker and a golf driving range. Alternatively, guests can head out and explore the local area, which features forests, waterfalls and ancient ruins.

The opening of this new hotel earlier this year marked the debut of the BW Signature Collection in Asia, a collection of upper midscale hotels and resorts that reflect the unique charm and culture of their destination.